Electrically heated airer



Jan. 17, 1950 G. A. CHAPMAN ELECTRICALLY HEATED AIRER 2 Shets$heet 1 Filed Aug. 4, 1948 nrry:

G. A. CHAPMAN ELECTRICALLY HEATED AIRER Jan. 17, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 4, 1.948

M Q n a m@ m 9 1 NM 2 2 W M f mm L G G a w 6 9 .M 6 e 5 4 I x E 2%//// m 8 3 5 0 w w w M w E "line Ill-I'D in Figure 9.

Patented Jan. 17, 1950 uurrso oesioe ELEGTRICAIILY HEATED AIRER George Albert Chapman, London, England Application August 4, 1918, easelo. 4252 53 in Great Britain August 21 1, r94:

F "Claims.

This invention relates toelectrically-heated airers for clothes, towels, linen and the like, and of the kind comprising a tubularframe "composed of two upright members united by two or more horizontal rails placed one above another, the

frame containing electrical heating means.

An object of this invention :is to provide a transportable airer which is economical in power consumption, which is compact in relation to its airing capacity, andin which the electrical heat- I ing means are easily accessible for repair.

Another object is to provide an electrically- 1 heated airer of the kind hereinbefore referred to 'with horizontal tubular rails of telescopic construction.

the frame required to :be used.

Another object is to simplify the breakingand making of electrical connections when heatin elements are renewed.

in the tubes '2-2-2'5.

An embodiment of the invention, and a modification thereof, will be described by way of example as applied to a clothes airer for domestic use, and with reference to the accompanying 'diagrammatic drawings, in which- Figure l is a front elevation of the airer- Figure tached from the remainder.

Figure 3 is a plan of a detail sectioned on the line 3--3 in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a part-sectional a part of the same airer.

Figure 5 is an end elevation of a heater element appearing in Figure 4, as seen from the right-hand side of Figure 4. Figure 6 is a sectional plan of a control switch box.

Figure 7 is a sectional side elevaitien of the top part of the same box taken on the line 1 4 in Figure 6.

appearing in Figures 1 to "8.

Figure 10 is a side elevation s etionee on the 2 shows a part of the same airer defront elevation of m in a common plane.

in the tube 24.

Figure 11 is :a perspective view of part of a member-of this modification. h

Figure 1-2 is a section of another part of the same member. I

The clothes airer shown in Figure 1 consists of two generally similar frames A and B hinged together. The lower part of frame A consists of two tubular posts 20 and 24 'of circular section. To the post 20 is welded one end of each "of four rail tubes 22, 2-3; 24 and of circular section placed horizontally one above another To the post 2| is welded "one-end of each 'of four rail tubes :22, 23C, 24 and .25 of circular section and a close telescopic fit A catch consists of a spring blade '26 riveted to the tube 24 and having at its free end a tooth engageable in a notch 21 The tooth is bevelled so as to rise automatically out "of the notch when the tube 24 is pushed into the tube 24, as in frame -B in Figure 1. When the tubes '24 and '24 are extended, the tooth locks automatically in the notch and normally prevents the tubes from being parted. When the blade 26 is displaced abnormally, it allows the two sides of the frame to be separated.

The upper part of the frame includes two Li shape'd tubes 28 and 29 of circular section and or such 'a diameter that one limb of each L is a close telescopic fit in the .post tubes 20 and 2| of the lower part of the frame. The tube 29 has its horizontal limb of reduced diameter such that it is a close telescopic fit in the horizontal limb of the tube "28:. A spring *ca'tch which enables the upper part of the frame to be locked at different heights, consists of a spring blade 30 riveted to the post "'20 and bent to form a nose engageable in either of two notches -31 in the tube 2 8-. The u per part of the frame also is provided with a telescopic rail 32, -32 similar to those of the lower part.

Each rail and the top horizontal member of the "upper part accommodates a heating element. These elements, which are alike, are denoted as a whole by the reference letter E followed by the reference numeral of the rail in which any particular element is housed; Figure '4 shows by way of example the element E22 in the rail 22., 22'. The element consists of a refractory electrically insulating rod wound with a helix 33 of refractory resistance wire and having at its ends integral flanges 34 and 35. The flange 34 is rendered a push fit the tube 22 by means of a split spring ring 36 which is located in a groove 31 around to the flange and which bears against the inner conductors lead to the same post 2|, in which they are looped to provide the necessary slack and from which they are led to a terminal and switch box 43. This box is common to both frames and is attached to the post 2| The switches are of the push-pull type, placed one above another in positions corresponding to those of the heating elements which they control respectively. Each switch controls the heating of the corresponding rails in the two frames A and B.

The switch box 43 (Figures 3, 6 and 7) is a substantially rectangular open-backed box formed as a unitary moulding in electrically insulating material and fixed to the post 2|, so as to cover an aperture 44 therein, by two screws 45 (Figures 1, 3 and 6) the heads of which are accessible at the front of the box. The head of the upper of the screws 45 seats on a grounding link 86 (Figure 3) embedded in the switch box 43 and electrically connected to a ground connector pin 8'1. Each of the six switches includes a plunger 46 of insulating material, slidable in a bearing in the front of the box 43 and terminating in a knob 41. Two spring contact blades 48 and 49 are fixed by bolts 50 and in the box 43 and their free ends bear on opposite sides of the plunger 46. When the knob 41 is pressed in, as in Figure 6, the free ends of the blades lie in a groove 52 in the plunger. When the knob is pulled out, the blades snap into engagement with a grooved conducting ring 53 forming the inner end of the plunger. The blades 48 of the several switches are connected to a busbar 54 in turn connected to a live-line connector pin 55. Each blade 49 is connected by its bolt 5|,

to a pair of conductors 56 leading respectively to a corresponding heating elements in the two frames. The return conductors from the same two elements, which are denoted in Figure 6 by 51, are connected by a terminal 58 to a busbar 59 connected to a neutral-line connector pin 60. The six terminals 58 and the busbar 59 are mounted on a angle-bar 6| of insulating material fixed in the box 43 by screws such as 62. For the sake of clearness, at most only a few of the conductors are shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4 to 7; however the arrangement of the wiring will be clear from th diagram shown in Figure 8.

In order to facilitate insertion of the wiring, the post 2| may be provided with longitudinal slots, such as 63 and 64, and the tube 29 is slotted at 65 so as to clear the conductors entering the rail tube '25.

The frames A and B are connected together by hinges 66 (Figures 1 and 3), and the frame 13 differs from the frame A only in that the former carries no switch box and is provided with an aperture 61 for the entry of wires passing through a notch in the side of the switch box, as will be clear from Figure 3.

If any heating element requires servicing, it is only necessary to lower the top part of the faulty frame, raise the catch blade 26 clear of the notch 21 and part the two sides of the frame so that the elements are accessible for inspection, as shown in Figure 2. The connecting wires provide enough 4 slack to enable the faulty element to be withdrawn clear of the inner rail tube and disconnected; a new element is then connected and partl inserted in the tube, and the two sides of the frame are re-engaged together.

The heating elements are preferably designed to operate at a fairly low temperaure-e. g. about 4QQ F. If desired, the heaters may be surrounded by shield tubes of fire clay or asbestos in order to "prevent excessive local heating of the rails. Such a construction is shown in Figure 9. The heater Wire 33 is wound helically on a core 68 integral with an end flange 69. A detachable end flange I0 is held on the core 88 by a pin II passing through a transverse hole in the core. The flanges 69 and T0 are stepped at their inner faces to provide 10- cations for the ends of the shield tube 12.

In this example the terminals of the heater element are two connector pins 13 and I4 engaged in electrically conducting eyelets l5 and '16 inserted in a slat of electrically insulating material housed in the frame post. This slat is in two parts 11 and 18 mounted by brackets such as 2'3 and in the post tubes 29 and 2|. The part of the slat l8 opposite the apertures 44 covered by the switch box has notches 8| (Figure 11) in its edge into which are forced the wires terminating in the switch box. These wires, such as 82, extend along the slat, for example in channels, such as (Figure 12) moulded therein, and are connected to one of the eyelets l5 and 16 or to a rivet 83 which is connected by a wire loop 84 to the appropriate terminal on the upper slat ill. The slat 11 may be channeled similarly to the slat 78 to accommodate the wires on it. This construction simplifies even further the renewal of the heating elements, which merely have to be plugged into the eyelets on the slats.

I claim:

1. An electrically-heated airer comprising a tubular frame including two upright members united by at least two horizontal rails placed one above another, said rails being of telescopic construction, electrical heating elements accommodated in said rails, and an electric circuit including switching means operable for selectively energising'said heating elements, said rails having telescopic joints capable of being easily parted so that access to the heating elements is obtained by separating the two sides of the frame.

' 2. An electrically-heated airer comprising a tubular frame including two upright members united by at least two horizontal rails placed one above another, said upright members and said rails being of telescopic construction, and so arranged that at least one rail can be raised and lowered relatively to the remainder, electrical heating elements accommodated in said rails, and an electric circuit including switching means operable for selectively energising said heating elements, said rails having telescopic joints capable of being easily parted so that access to the heating elements is obtained by separating the two sides of the frame.

3. An electrically-heated airer comprising a tubular frame including two upright members united by at least two horizontal rails placed one above another, said rails being of telescopic construction, electrical heating elements mounted in the inner of the telescoping tubes of said rails and projecting into the outer of said tubes, and an electric circuit including switching means operable for selectively energising said heating elements, said rails having telescopic joints capable of being easily parted so that access to the heatbox mounted on the upright member of the frame that is provided with the inner of the telescopic rail tubes, the switch box being provided with at least two switches for controlling respectively two of said heating elements and electrical conductors passing inside the last-mentioned upright member between said switch box and said elements.

5. An electrically-heated airer comprising a tubular frame including two upright members united by at least two horizontal rails placed one above another, each of said rails comprising two telescoping tubes rigid respectively with said two upright members, a resilient catch on one of the tubes of one of said rails co-operating with an abutment on the other tube of said one rail to limit the lateral extension of said frame, said catch being releasable to enable the two sides of the frame to be parted, electrical heating elements mounted on the inner of the telescoping tubes of said rails and projecting into the outer of said tubes and an electric circuit including switching means operable for selectively energising said heating elements.

6. An electrically-heated airer comprising a tubular frame including two upright members united by at least two horizontal rails placed one above another, said rails being of telescopic construction, electrical connecting sockets in one of said upright members opposite the ends of said rails, electrical heating elements accommodated in said rails and provided with contact pins which are a push fit in said sockets, said rails having telescopic joints capable of being easily parted so that access to said heating elements is obtained by separating the two sides of said frame, and an electrical circuit for energising said sockets.

'7. An electrically-heated airer comprising a tubular frame including two upright members united by at least two horizontal rails placed one above another, said rails being of telescopic construction, a slat of electrically insulating material fixed longitudinally in one of said upright members, electrical connecting sockets mounted on said slat opposite the ends of said rails, electrical heating elements accommodated in said rails and 6 provided with contact pins which are a push fit in said sockets, said rails having telescopic joints capable of being easily parted so that access to said heating elements is obtained by separating the two sides of said frame, and an electrical circuit for energising said sockets.

8. An electrically-heated airer comprising a tubular frame including two upright members united by at least two horizontal rails placed one above another, said upright members and said rails being of telescopic construction, and so arranged that at least one rail can be raised and lowered relatively to the remainder, a slat of electrically insulating material in two parts fixed respectively in the two telescoping parts of one of said upright members, electrical connecting sockets mounted on said slat opposite the end of said rails, electrical heating elements accommodated in said rails and provided with contact pins which are a push fit in said sockets, said rails having telescopic joints capable of being easily parted so that access to said heating elements is obtained by separating the two sides of said frame, and an electrical circuit for energising said sockets.

9. An electrically-heated airer comprising a tubular frame including two upright members each provided with at least two rail tubes extending rigidly at right angles thereto, the rail tubes of one of said members being slidably fitted withing the rail tubes of the other of said members to form horizontal rails, each of said rails accommodating an electrical heating element comprising one plug-shaped and a friction fit in the inner rail tube and the other end a free sliding fit in the outer rail tube.

10. An electrically-heated airer comprising a tubular frame including a first upright member provided with at least two rail tubes extending rigidly at right angles thereto, electrical contact sockets within said member opposite the ends of said rail tubes, two elongated electrical heating elements a close sliding fit in said tubes respec tively, said elements having contact pins engaged in said contact sockets, and a second upright member provided with at least two rail tubes extending rigidly at right angles thereto and slidably fitted over the rail tubes of said first upright member, said elements being rendered accessible for disengagement from said contact sockets by separation of the rail tubes of said first member from the rail tubes of said second member.

GEORGE ALBERT CHAPMAN.

No references cited. 

